Dennis Linthicum says he hopes to decide soon whether to take on the only Republican in Oregon's congressional delegation. Linthicum describes himself as a "constitutional conservative" and tagged Walden as a "professional politician."

As chairman of the House GOP's campaign committee, Walden is one of the most senior Republicans on Capitol Hill. He's had to walk a tight rope between the party's moderates and tea-party conservatives.

In a statement, Walden says he works hard every day for the Oregonians who elected him. Walden reported having $1.3 million in the bank on his most recent campaign finance disclosure.

Walden represents the sprawling 2nd Congressional District, which encompasses all of Eastern Oregon.

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Nigel Jaquiss, a reporter at KATU’s news partners at Willamette Week, and KATU’s Hillary Lake join host Steve Dunn to discuss the lawsuits surrounding Oregon’s failed Cover Oregon, those personal emails Kitzhaber’s office asked to be deleted from state servers and the investigations into him and his fiancée, Cylvia Hayes.

Democrat Speaker Pro Temp Tobias Read and Republican House Minority Leader Mike McLane join KATU’s Steve Dunn to discuss the impact former Gov. John Kitzhaber’s resignation will have on the work in the Legislature.